There is a conventional game apparatus which executes a shooting game based on a third-person viewpoint. In such a game, when a player performs an operation to change a moving direction of a player object, a shooting direction (aiming direction) is also changed with the change in the moving direction. That is, the moving direction and the shooting direction (aiming direction) are changed in conjunction with each other.
In the above-mentioned game apparatus, even when the player desires to change only the shooting direction, the moving direction of the player object is also changed with the operation to change the shooting direction, which makes the operation for the moving direction of the player object difficult.
Therefore, it is a feature of the exemplary embodiments to provide an information processing apparatus and the like which enhance operability of a direction instructing operation for movement of an object present in a virtual space, and operability of a direction instructing operation for an action of the object other than the movement.
The feature described above is attained by, for example, the following configuration.
A configuration example is an information processing apparatus that controls a player object present in a virtual space by using an input device including a first input section and a second input section different from the first input section. The information processing apparatus includes an input reception section, a direction setting section, and a display control section. The input reception section receives inputs from the first input section and the second input section. The direction setting section sets a direction of movement of the player object, based on the input from the first input section, and sets a direction relating to an action of the player object other than the movement, based on the input from the second input section. The display control section displays, on a first display area, an image taken by a first virtual camera based on the direction of movement of the player object, and displays, on a second display area, an image taken by a second virtual camera based on the direction relating to the action of the player object other than the movement. The first virtual camera and the second virtual camera are present in the same virtual space, and take images from different positions and/or different directions in the virtual space.
According to the above configuration example, it is possible to enhance operability of an operation to instruct a moving direction of the player object, and operability of an operation to instruct a direction of an action of the player object other than the movement.
As another configuration example, the direction setting section may set, based on the input from the first input section, both the direction of movement of the player object and the direction relating to an action of the player object other than the movement, and may set, based on the input from the second input section, a direction relating to an action of the player object other than the above-mentioned action.
According to the above configuration example, when performing an operation regarding the moving direction of the player object and, for example, an operation regarding the shooting direction, the operation regarding the shooting direction can be performed independently from the operation regarding the moving direction, thereby further enhancing the operability.
As another configuration example, the direction relating to the action of the player object other than the movement may be a direction in which the player object performs an attack in predetermined game processing. Alternatively, the direction relating to the action of the player object other than the movement may be a direction of a shooting aim used for a shooting process in the predetermined game processing.
According to the above configuration example, the operability of the player object in the predetermined game processing can be further enhanced.
As another configuration example, the first display area may be included in a first display device, and the second display area may be included in a second display device different from the first display device.
According to the configuration example, the image taken by the first virtual camera and the image taken by the second virtual camera can be displayed on the different display devices, thereby enhancing the entertaining feature of the game.
As another configuration example, the second display area may be a display section included in the same housing as the input device. The second input section may be a motion sensor that detects a motion of the input device itself. The motion sensor may be an angular velocity sensor. Further, the first input section may be an input section using no motion sensor. The input section using no motion sensor may be an input unit capable of outputting an input amount from a reference position to a predetermined direction.
According to the above configuration example, an input from the second input section can be performed by moving the input device itself, thereby allowing the player to perform an intuitive operation. Further, when the first input section is not a motion sensor while the second input section is a motion sensor, the operability can be further enhanced.
As another configuration example, the display control section may take, with the first virtual camera, an image to be displayed on the first display area so that the image becomes an image based on a third-person viewpoint, and may take, with the second virtual camera, an image to be displayed on the second display area so that the image becomes an image based on a first-person viewpoint. Further, the display control section, in the image taking with the first virtual camera, may take the image so that the player object is always included in an image taking range.
According to the above configuration example, the player is allowed to recognize, by viewing the image based on the third-person viewpoint, the surroundings of the player object which are difficult to be recognized from the first-person viewpoint, thereby enhancing the entertaining feature of the game in the game processing or the like.
As another configuration example, the direction setting section, based on the input from the second input section, may set a direction of movement of a predetermined object relating to the action of the player object other than the movement of the player object. Alternatively, the input reception section may include a position designating section that designates a predetermined position in a virtual space, based on the input from the second input section. In this case, the direction setting section, based on the designated position, may set the direction relating to the action of the player object other than the movement.
According to the configuration example, when performing an operation regarding the moving direction of the player object and an operation regarding an action other than the movement, for example, a shooting direction, the operation regarding the shooting direction can be performed independently from the operation regarding the moving direction, thereby further enhancing the operability.
As another configuration example, the information processing apparatus may further includes a movement operation switching section configured to switch an operation to control movement of the player object based on the input from the first input section, to an automatic operation to automatically control movement of the player object. While the automatic operation is being executed, the direction setting section may display, on the first display area, an image taken with the first virtual camera based on the direction of movement of the player object controlled by the automatic operation.
According to the above configuration example, the difficulty of a game in predetermined game processing can be reduced, thereby providing the player with a game easily playable to the player.
Another configuration example is an information processing apparatus that controls a player object present in a virtual space by using an input device including an angular velocity sensor and an input unit capable of outputting an input amount from a reference position to a predetermined direction. The information processing apparatus includes an input reception section and a direction setting section. The input reception section receives inputs from the angular velocity sensor and the input unit. The direction setting section sets a direction of movement of the player object, based on the input from the input unit, and sets a direction relating to an action of the player object other than the movement, based on the angular velocity sensor.
According to the above configuration example, it is possible to enhance operability of an operation to instruct a moving direction of the player object, and operability of an operation to instruct a direction of an action of the player object other than the movement.
According to the present embodiment, it is possible to enhance operability of an operation to instruct a moving direction of the player object, and operability of an operation to instruct a direction of an action of the player object other than the movement.